FIREWORK throwing yobs have been targeted by police in a terrorised Winsford neighbourhood.

The Wharton and Mount Pleasant areas of Winsford have been plagued by youths who have run rampage through the estates, vandalising property and fighting pitch battles with explosive rockets.

Even a patrol car was forced to beat a retreat as a gang of 20 to 30 young thugs bombarded police with fireworks, bottles and stones.

Vandals have also smashed windows at Wharton Health Centre during a spate of incidents. It was feared the problem would get out of hand in the run-up to Bonfire Night with youths flouting the law by hurling fireworks around the streets.

But now police have blitzed the area in a series of late night patrols, deliberately targeting the yobs responsible for the mayhem.

Sgt Ian Wood of Winsford Community Action Team said: 'We have been increasing patrols in the Wharton and Mount Pleasant areas of Winsford because of the recent problems.

'If youths are about and are not causing any problems, then that is fine. But if they are causing trouble then we will take action.'

Problems threatened to spiral out of control on the estate when rival gangs began fighting pitch battles on the streets, using fireworks as weapons.

It is believed trouble started when rival gangs of youths burned down bonfires which had been built by young people on other estates who then retaliated, escalating the problem.

Flo Hughes, who represents the Wharton area on Winsford Town and Vale Royal Borough Councils, said she has noticed a recent drop in problems with youths.

'I went round the estate a couple of nights ago and there doesn't seem to be any bother at the moment,' she said. 'The police have been up there and I think they are keeping a high profile to keep the youths under control.

'It seems to be working and they have done a good job. The only trouble is if the youths are anything like the ones on the Over Estate, they will be watching out for when the police are not there and when the police stop patrolling all the time they may well come back on to the estate.

'But for the time being we are not having the same trouble that we have had.'